This year marks the 90th anniversary of Social Security, which has helped generations of Alabamians retire with dignity after a lifetime of hard work. It’s one of the most successful initiatives in American history, and a new AARP survey shows it’s still doing exactly what it was built to do.

The new AARP report, released in conjunction with the anniversary, confirms that Americans highly value Social Security, and even more so than five years ago. The vast majority of Americans – 95% of Republicans, 98% of Democrats, and 93% of Independents – consider Social Security vital to the financial security of all Americans, and 67% believe it is even more important for retirees than it was five years ago.

Here in Alabama, that value is seen throughout communities from Mobile to Huntsville, with nearly 1.2 million people counting on Social Security across the state. For many, it can mean the difference between getting by and going without groceries, gas and paying utility bills. Social Security boosts Alabama’s economy, injecting $23.6 billion annually.

AARP’s survey found that Social Security is a key source of income and economic stability in retirement, but Americans have concerns about whether it will be enough. More than three-quarters of Americans (78%) are worried that Social Security will not provide enough to live on during retirement.

Nearly 90% of people surveyed agree that Social Security is more than a reliable retirement income strategy; it’s the key to remaining independent as you age. And at AARP, independence and the power to choose how to live as you age is the core of our mission. That’s why we launched a national campaign at the start of the summer — “Social Security: We Earned It” — with events planned across the country and here in Alabama to celebrate this milestone anniversary and urge action.

We’re calling on leaders from both parties in Congress to protect the integrity of Social Security for current and future generations. This includes closing the solvency gap and ensuring adequate customer service so people can access their earned Social Security. Now more than ever, we need our political leaders to speak out to celebrate Social Security and ensure it’s there, not only for older Americans today but also for our kids and grandkids tomorrow.

Social Security is not a handout; it’s a promise we’ve built together during a lifetime of hard work. And we will never stop fighting to keep that promise for all Americans.

Candi Williams is the Alabama State Director for AARP.